Abrasion, wiper  The tendency of a wiper to lose integrity as a result of wiping another surface.

Absorbent  A material which, due to an affinity for certain substances, extracts one of more such substances from a liquid or gaseous medium which it contacts and changes physically and/or chemically, and/or both, during the process. (Calcium chloride is an example of a solid absorbent, while solutions of lithium chloride, lithium bromide, and ethylene glycols are liquid absorbents.)

Absorption  A process whereby a material extracts one or more substances present in an atmosphere or mixture of gases or liquids accompanied by the material's physical and/or chemical changes.

Adsorbent  A material which has the ability to cause molecules of gases, liquids, or solids to adhere to its internal surfaces without changing the adsorbent physically or chemically.  (Certain solid materials, such as silica gel and activated alumina, have this property.)

Adsorption  The action, associated with the surface adherence, of a material in extracting one or more substances present in an atmosphere or mixture of gases and liquids, unaccompanied by physical or chemical change in the material.  Commercial adsorbent materials have enormous internal surfaces.

Airborne Particles  Particles suspended in air.  A gaseous suspension of solid or liquid particles about 100 µm or smaller in size.

Airborne Particulate Cleanliness Classes  A set of particle concentration levels based upon the number of particles greater than or equal to a specified size which are present in a unit volume of air.

Airborne Particulate Cleanliness Levels  The number of particles equal to or larger than a given size per unit volume of air.

Airborne Particulates  Airborne particulates are discrete particles having measurable physical boundaries in all directions and of such size and mass as to remain suspended in air long enough to be sampled and measured (usually 100 micrometers or less except for lint fibers).  Particulates are distinguished from particles which may have the connotation of atomic or sub-atomic matter.

Autoclave  Pressure vessel used for steam sterilization.

Calibration  Comparison of a measurement standard or instrument of unknown accuracy with another standard or instrument of known accuracy to detect, correlate, report, or eliminate by adjustment, any variation in the accuracy of the unknown standard or instrument.

Certificate of Compliance (Conformance)  A written statement, signed by a qualified party, attesting that the items or services are in accordance with specified requirements, and accompanied by additional information to substantiate the statement.

Chemical Compatibility  The interaction of a material with a chemical substance with which it has come into contact.  A minimum interaction is desirable.

Clean-Air Device  A clean bench, clean work station, downflow module, or other equipment designed to control particulate air cleanliness in a localized working area and incorporating, as a minimum, a HEPA filter and a blower.

Clean-Air Device, Laminar Flow  A clean bench, clean work station, wall or ceiling hung module, or other device (except a Cleanroom) which incorporates a HEPA filter(s) and motor-blower(s) for the purpose of supplying laminar flow clean air to a controlled work space.

Clean-Air System  An air cleaning system designed to maintain a defined level of air cleanliness usually in terms of a permissible number of particles in a given size range per unit volume, within an enclosed working area.

Clean Area  A defined space within which the airborne particulate level is controlled to specified limits.

Cleanroom (Clean Facility)  A room (facility) in which the air supply, air distribution, filtration of air supply, materials of construction, and operating procedures are regulated to control airborne particle concentrations to meet appropriate cleanliness levels as defined by Federal Standard 209.  (See also Laminar Airflow Cleanroom, Turbulent Flow Cleanroom and Mixed Flow Cleanroom.)

CLEANROOM DESCRIPTIONS:
CLASS 1 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where particle count is not to exceed a total of 1 particle per cubic foot of air of a size 0.5 microns and larger and zero particles of 5.0 microns and larger.
CLASS 10 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where particle count is not to exceed a total of 10 particles per cubic foot of air of a size 0.5 microns and larger, and zero particles of 5.0 microns and larger.
CLASS 100 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where there are no more than 100 particles 0.5 microns and larger per cubic foot, and zero particles of 5.0 microns and larger.
CLASS 1000 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where there are no more than 1000 particles per cubic foot of air 0.5 microns and larger, and no more than 7 particles 5.0 microns and larger.
CLASS 10,000 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where there are no more than 10,000 particles per cubic foot of air 0.5 microns and larger, and no more than 70 particles 5.0 microns and larger.
CLASS 100,000 CLEANROOM
A Cleanroom where there are no more than 100,000 particles per cubic foot of air 0.5 microns and larger, and no more than 700 particles 5.0 microns and larger.

Cleanroom (Facility)-As Built  A Cleanroom (facility) which is complete and ready for operation, with all services connected and functional, but without production equipment or personnel within the facility.

Cleanroom (Facility)-At Rest  A Cleanroom (Facility) which is complete and has the production equipment installed, but without personnel within the facility.

Cleanroom (Facility)-Operating  A Cleanroom (facility) in normal operation with all services functioning and with production equipment and personnel present in the facility.

Cleanroom - Laminar Airflow  A Cleanroom in which the filtered air makes a single pass through the work area in a parallel slow pattern with a minimum of turbulent flow areas.  Laminar airflow rooms have a minimum of 80% of the ceiling (vertical flow) or one wall (horizontal flow) producing a uniform and parallel HEPA filtered airflow.

Cleanroom Laundry  A laundry facility which specializes in the processing of polyester knit wipes for use in Cleanroom Facilities.  In order to be effective, a Cleanroom laundry must maintain a controlled environment which is rated as good as or better than the environment where the polyester knit wipe will be used.   In other words, if a Cleanroom laundry is processing polyester knit wipes for a customer which has a Class 100 Cleanroom, the laundry itself should be a Class 100 or better Cleanroom.

Cleanroom - Mixed Flow  A hybrid Cleanroom consisting of a combination of laminar airflow Cleanroom and turbulent flow Cleanroom.

Cleanroom - Operational Mode  (See Cleanroom As Built, At Rest, and Operating.)

Cleanroom - Turbulent Flow  A Cleanroom in which the air enters the room in a non-uniform velocity or turbulent flow.  Such rooms exhibit a non-uniform or random airflow pattern throughout the enclosure.

Cleanability  The ultimate limit of cleanliness obtainable for a material by a cleaning process.

Collector  A device for removing and retaining contaminants from air or other gases.  Usually this term is applied to cleaning devices in exhaust systems.

Contained Space  A building, building space, room, cell, glove box, or other enclosed volume in which the air supply and exhaust are controlled.

Contaminant  Any unwanted substance present in or on a material.

Continuous Filament  A fiber of indefinite length.

Cot, Finger Cot  A covering or sheath for a finger.